Player Profile: Damien Williams

At the end of the 2018 season, those who wanted to score big flocked to Damien Williams in droves. And it made sense given that he suddenly became The Man in the backfield for the high-powered Chiefs offense. There were probably many that got a late season boost thanks to rostering Williams and throwing him into their lineups.

Now that the 2019 season approaches, Williams is again in a great position to be the lead back in what figures to still be a good Chiefs’ offense. And his ADP is soaring. He’s currently going as RB 13, No. 22 overall in Standard and RB14, No. 30 overall in PPR. At those draft prices, Williams will be expected to provide a big return, but should you trust the hype?

Let’s weigh the evidence.

Right Man, Right Time

Williams was in the right place at the right time in 2018. He was an under-the-radar off-season pick up for the Chiefs, who had Spencer Ware returning to health and a backfield held down by stud Kareem Hunt. And in the first 11 games of the season, Hunt dominated as expected. Hunt ran for 824 yards and seven TDs, catching 26 passes for 378 yards and seven more TDs. He was easily a top scoring back, then the other shoe dropped. A video of Hunt in an altercation with a woman at a hotel surfaced, and he was quickly suspended by the NFL and cut by the Chiefs.

In his stead, the Chiefs turned to Ware and Williams. Ware started in weeks 13 and 14, rushing for 122 yards and a touchdown, grabbing six passes for 59 yards before being knocked out with injury to end the season. Williams took over as the starter in Weeks 15–17, rushing for 203 yards and three TDs, averaging 5.97 yards per carry. He also added 14 receptions for 119 yards and a TD during those three games. And Williams continued his work in the post-season. In two games he ran for 159 yards and two TDs, grabbing 10 passes for 91 yards and two more TDs. It’s a small sample size, but those five games in a feature role had folks drooling over what Williams could do in that offense.

And that was quite a turn of events for Williams, a fifth-year pro. In his first four years, all with the Dolphins, Williams accounted for just 477 yards and three TDs, averaging 3.6 yards per carry. He did, however, record 85 receptions for 733 yards and six TDs. So is Williams a back that just needed an opportunity, or was the run to end 2018 a mirage? And how about his chances in 2019?

A Wide Open Path

Williams got a huge vote of confidence, seemingly, during the off-season, where the Chiefs did little to boost the running back room. Hunt went to Cleveland, and Ware left for the Colts. The Chiefs, meanwhile, signed Carlos Hyde to a moderate contract and then drafted Darwin Thompson in the sixth round of the draft. Thompson, out of Utah State, played RB as a junior in 2018, rushing for 1,044 yards and 14 TDs, adding 23 receptions for 351 yards and two TDs. He had good numbers and showed promise, but it was his only year running in college, so he’s a raw prospect. And the low draft capital spent suggests he’ll have to earn touches.

But what about the veteran Hyde? He signed a one year, $1.4 million deal, which means he’s not guaranteed much by the Chiefs but could be motivated to prove himself. Hyde played his first four years for the 49ers, and in his third and fourth season, Hyde tallied 988 and 938 yards, respectively. But it wasn’t enough for the 49ers to keep him in the fold. Last off-season he signed with the Browns, rushing for 382 yards and five TDs, but averaging just 3.4 yards per carry in six games. With Nick Chubb emerging, the Browns dealt Hyde to the Jaguars, where he managed just 189 yards and no TDs, averaging 3.3 yards per carry in eight games. Now he’s going to be on his fourth team, and fourth system, in three seasons.

More importantly, Hyde doesn’t figure to be a big player in the passing game, a place where Hunt and Williams thrived last year. In 14 games played in 2018, Hyde had just 10 receptions for 33 yards. Aside from 2017, where he caught 59 passes for 350 yards, Hyde has never had more than 27 receptions, and has three of his five seasons with 12 or fewer receptions.

So while Hyde could eat early down work, he wasn’t efficient with either team in 2018. And while Thompson has raw potential and burst, he lacks experience even at the college level. Which means Williams, who proved himself capable to end 2018, should have the first crack at securing the prime role in the backfield for the Chiefs.

Is He Worth The Cost

The big question is whether Williams is worth the hype. His ADP means you have to jump on him in the second or early third round of drafts. In that position you’re relying on Williams to deliver as a reliable scorer, which is what he did in his five starts in the regular and post-season. If he secures the job and stays healthy, the opportunity will be there.

In 2018, in just 11 games, Hunt produced nearly 1,200 yards and 14 TDs as a runner and receiver. And in 2017, as a rookie, Hunt went for 1,327 yards and eight TDs as a runner, adding 53 receptions for 455 yards and three more TDs. Being the main runner, especially one capable of filling a three-down role, in the Chiefs offense is a prime position. It costs a lot to get Williams in drafts, but with the potential of his role and team, it could be worth the risk, especially for those who put off drafting an RB until the third round.